Drain-pipe cleaner



July 16, 1929. w. J. FISCHBECK DRAIN PIPE CLEANER Filed March 14, 1927 JSCHBEGIT PL. m M. M m M FITTOENEV Patented July 16, 1929.

name stares L'ZZLttt WILLIAM J; FISCHBECK, 015 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

DRAIN-PIPE CLEANER.

Application filed March 14, 1927. Serial No. 175,088.

As may be inferred from the above title, this invention relates todevices for use in outlet pipes, communicating with sewers, or the like;and it is a particular object of this invention to provide an improvedpipe-engaging organization, hereinafter termed a rat, adapted to bespirally or otherwise advanced through a drain pipe, or the like, thisrat being preferably equipped with terminal means for engaging a rag, orother material, to loosen and /or'remove the same.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a drain pipe cleaner,of the general character referred to and comprising a pair of cast orother heavyelements connected by a set of resilient scrapers, withseparable means for advancing the same; and, in preferred embodiments ofmy invention (in which I may employ a wire carrier of novel design) acoil of wire may be connected with the mentioned rat, or its equivalent,by means favorable to the transmission of a torque to said rat,to effecta rotation or a spiral advance or retraction thereof. v

Other objects of my invention, including the construction ofdrain-cleaning rat which, being constructed mainly from helically woundsprings, is adapted to pass through constrictions and around corners,and including also a wire carrier and a coupling which may be capable ofnumerous alternative uses, may be best appreciated from .the followingdescription of an illustrative embodiment of my invention,t-aken inconnection with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims, inwhich Fig. 1 is a general View, which may be regarded as elevational,showing my novel rat as connected with a cruciform wire carrier by meansof a torque-transmitting coupling.

Fig. 2 is an end view, taken substantially as indicated by the arrow 2of Fig. 1, on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken substantially asindicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. b

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken through my novel couplingorganization, substantially as indicated by the line 44: of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially as indicatedby the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:.

Fig. 6 is a partial sectional view, taken substantially as indicated bythe line 66 of' Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is an elevational view, correspondmg tothe right hand portion of Fig. 1, but. showing an embodiment of myinventionfin which a centrally disposed springis formed of coarser wirethan that used in the construction of a set of wall engaging springs,thelatter disclosing a slight"wind or spiral arrangement.

Referring to the details of that specific embodiment of my inventionillustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, 11 being a cleaning organiza-.tion or rat terminatingat one end in offset hooks 12, 12 andterminating, at its opposite end, in a wire 13. I show this wire asconnected with a longer wire 14, wound upon the coil carrier, 15, bymeans of a torque-transmitting coupling 16; and I show the rat 11 ascomprising a tightly wound central spring 17 surrounded by a pluralityof outwardly bowed springs 18,al'.l of the mentioned springs beingsecured in their intendedrelationship by disposing end portions thereofwithin cast or other bodies 19, 19'. I i

The hooks 12, 12 are shown as terminating in oppositely disposed points20, 20 the central spring 17 is shown as extending into the forward body19 and through the inner or rear body 19, and as normally disposedcoaxially with the wire 18; and the ends 21, 21 of the bowed springs 18are shownasso secured in the cast or other heavy bodies 19,19',th-atsaid bowed springs (shown as tightly-wound spirals) may appear,when the described rat is viewed from its forward end (see Fig. 2) asradially disposed with referenceto the body 19, or its equivalent.

It will be apparent that a forward pressure and /or a twisting movementof the wire 13, or its equivalent, may be relied upon to advance thedescribed rat,the springs 18, or equivalent resilient elements, meantimeengaging andscrapin g the walls of a drain pipe, or the like; that thehooks 12, 12 may be relied upon to remove or loosen any cloth or friablematerial encountered; that the resiliency of the springs 18 permits thedescribed rat to pass constrictions and to round corners; that thecentral spring 17 (or 17, Fig. 7 may advantageously be formed of astiffer wire thanthat used in the construction of the bowed springs 18(or 18); and that, if desired, the bowed springs referred to may be soconnected with the bodies 19, 19' as to produce a slight wind in thelongitudinal axes thereof,-as best shown in Fig. 7 but, in any case, Iprefer to provide means for transmitting a torque to the wire 13, andthereby to the described rat during the advance thereof.

The wires 13 and 14 are preferably comparatively stiff steel wires(whether or not circular in cross-section) and I show these wires asrespectively carrying a male coupling element 22 and a female couplingelement 23. One of these, as, for instance the male coupling element 22should be provided with a cavity 24, having a rectangularcross-sectional outline and adapted to retain, in parallelrelationsl'iip, terminal loops 25, 26, or similar flat elements,provided upon the respective wires 13 and 14. It will be seen. that,although the coupling element 23 is, in the illustrated embodiment,capable of relative rotation, for a coupling or uncoupling effect, theinterfitting of the loops or flat ends 26 within the rectangular cavity24 is effective to prevent relative rotation between said ends, when theparts are assembled in the indicated manner between the wires 13 and 14.The coupling 16 thus serves not only to connect the mentioned wires, orequivalent wires, but to assure a transmission of torque thereby.

' It will be obvious that either of the mentioned Wires may have anydesired length; and, whether or not I employ the coupling 16, or itsequivalent, I may accordingly provide one of the mentioned wires with acarrier "such as the mentioned carrier 15.

The carrier 15 is shown as comprising a pair of centrally intersectingrods forming radial arms 27 28, 29 and 30, each terminating in an eye31. Any suitable means, such as a plate 32, may be utilized in spacingand reinforcing the mentioned arms,whether or not they'are centrallywelded together, as at 33; and the'inner end of the wire 14 may besecured, after passing the same through all of the mentioned eyes, inany suitable Wayas by winding and/or soldering the same, as indicated at34, on to a first and comparatively loose lap of wire,-which then mustalways remain upon the mentioned carrier.

In operation, it will be understood that the described rat is merelyinserted in a drain pipe; that a twisting motion is preferably impartedthereto during an advance effected by paying out the wire 13, 14; andthat, after the drain is opened, the described rat or its equivalent,may be withdrawn by merely pulling the same back onto the carrier 15. hecarrier being presumably held stationary or so manipulated as to keepthe rat turning on its axis while the wire, as it is pulled in, slidesthrough and accumulates within the eyes 31.

As to additional details of construction, it

will be noted that the bodies 19 and 19 are preferably somewhat conicalin general form; and that the ends of the resilient elements may besecured either by casting the same therein, or by brazing somewhat assuggested at 35, 36 that the hooks 12, 12 are preferably formed of steeland not only offset but opposuitable clamping grip member 37, pivoted at38 and outwardly pressed by a spring 39 whereby the wire 14 mayberelcasably but securely held, relatively to the carrier 15, during thetransmission of a push or a pull and/or a torque therethrough, tomanipulate the rat 11, or its equivalent.

Although I have herein described a single complete embodiment of myinvention, it should be understood not only that various features ofthis invention might be independ-' ently employed but also that numerousalternative embodiments thereof might be devised, by those skilled inthe arts to which this case relates, without involving the slight-- estdeparture from the spirit and scope of this invention, as the same isindicated in the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a drain pipe cleaner :a rat provided at one end withforwardly-projecting hooks and at its opposite end with means for itsadvancement,said rat comprising bodies which are spaced apart by aplurality of outwardly bowed resilient elements and a resilient centerelement.

' 2. In a drain pipe cleaner: a rat provided at one end withforwardly-projecting hooks and at its opposite end with means for itsadvancement,-said rat comprising bodies which. are spaced apart by aplurality of outwardly bowed resilient elements and a resilient centerelement, said elements being cast into said bodies.

3. In a drain pipe cleaner: a rat pro-- vided at one end with hooks andat its oppo-.

site end with means for its advancement, said ratcomprising bodies whichare spaced apart by a plurality of outwardly bowed spiral springs andsaid bodies being connected by a central spiral spring, said centralspring being formed of stiller wire than said outer springs.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles,California, this 7th day of March, 1927.

WILLIAM J. FISCI-IBECK.

